Machine for printing floor coverings



Jan; 13, 1931. A. JONES ETAL 1,788,397

MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS I Filed Oct. 14. 1926 1 2 Sheets-Shet- 1 INVENTORS A. JONES ET AL MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Jan. 13, 1931.

12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed-Oct. 14, 1926 b. 7&7/47 L @JZM/ A f/w A l V I,

NN m" Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET AL 1,788,397

MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14. 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 r mu-uu-n lllll I I INVENTORS A. JONES ET AL 1,788,397

MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14, 192 6 12 Sheets-rSheet 4 INVENTORS 2 9 3 7 0% m H I 3 0% 5 L, J. 5 T v. .liliril |.|.M/ 7 Z7// I l l I I l l l l w m fl W uw Jan. 13, 1931.

izz 2 Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET AL MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 SNN I I I l I l l l I l l l I l I I I I l I I I l J 1.

5 R O T N E V m Jan. 13', 1931. A. JONES ET AL MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 %N @N QM Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET AL MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS l4. l2 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed 0012.

Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET AL I 1,788,397

MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. 13, 1931.

A. JONES ET AL MACKENE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Filed Oct. 14, 1926 INVENTOR Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET Al.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERING-S Filed Oct. 14, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet l0 Jan. 13, 1931. A. JONES ET AL IACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS File Oct. 14. 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 A. JONES ET AL MACHINE FOR PRINTING FLOOR COVERINGS Jan. 13, 1931 Filed dot. 14, 1926 12 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTORS I Patented Jan. 13, 1931 titan? PATENT FFECE ALFRED JONES AND HARRY A. WEBSTER, 0F LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS TO ARMSTRONG- CORK COMPANY, OF 'PITTSBUBGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORBOEA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA MACHINE non rnin'rnvo rtooa covnanvos epplieation filed October 14, 1926.1 Serial No. 141,516.

' This invention is for a machine for printing linoleum and other floor coverings and relates more particularly to an improvement in the printing head thereof and operating means therefor. 7

r In the printing oflinoleum rugs and other most of thecolors and tints found in the body 7 of the rug, there can be used only half as many colors or tints in the rug as there are printing heads in the machine, or conversely, the number of printing heads must be greatly increased to secure a variety of colors, and such an increase in the number of heads, ma-

teriall increases the length of the machine and the cost thereof.

In machines of this type, the printing heads are'raised and lowered by simultaneously operated cams, and holding means are provided "For automatically preventing any one of the heads from lowering into printing position at a predetermined time. This holding means which is provided for each individual, head, is necessary to prevent the body blocks from lowering to printing position when that portion of the web of mate"- rial is passing under the, block on which a cross bdrder is to be applied, and to prevent the cross border printing blocks from lowering into printing engagement with that portion of the rug which carries the body pattern. One system of obtaining such predetermined control or" the lowering of the printing blocks shown in our Patent 1,263,9G0 of April 23, 1918, for printing block control mechanism.

In machines of this type. there is provided a paint pot for each printing head. All of the paint pots are connected. to reciprocate longitudinally of the machine in V unison. The arrangement is such that the paint pots move under theprinting heads in one direc- ,tion when all of the printing headsa're in their uppermost position. In passing under the printingheads they apply paintthereto. After the-next printing operation, and when all of the blocks are again in their highest position, the paint pots move in the opposite direction. In reciprocating in this manner, the pots apply the separate colors to the several blocks in the proper manner. Inasmuch as each block prints only a portion of the pat;

tern in the body orin the border of the rug, it is essential'that the blocks be very accurately positioned with respect to one another in order that there is no overlapping of the areas which they print. l

' At the same time, the blocks must be spaced a sufiicient distance apart to allow for the stationary position of the paint p0ts.- The A printing heads are usually spaced from each other in such a way that the eenter ofone is removed from the center of the preceding an amount equal to twice the width of the printing: blocks. This assures the proper registration of the respective patterns and allows ample room for the paint pots.

According to the present invention it is proposed to providesome of the printing heads with two blocks so arranged that either of them.may be brought into printingv posi. tion. One block will be a body block and the other will be a border block of the same color. It will thus be seen that if all of the printing' heads are thus arranged, the number of colors or tints which may be used can be doubled, and-if only a part of the heads are provided with two blocks, the number of colors can be increased according to the number of heads so constructed.

It is further proposed that the double block arrangement be such that it can be used on machines of the present type. This is most effectively done by having the printing heads provided with printing blocks on the opposite surfaces thereof and providing means for rotating the printing blocks through 180 when it is desired to change from one block to the other.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotation of the heads through an arc ofl is accomplished auto- I matically. In the printing of rugs with a tion, the cross border must be printed, after which the'block must again reversemorder that the body'otthe rug'may again .be'printed'. In other words, one side of the block will not be used as much as the other side of the block, and means mnst'be provided for turning the block at the proper timev and thenimmediately reversing it after it has made a single impression.

The printing heads with their attached blocksare several feet long and are. quite heavy. It is therefore impractical to turn them from one position to the-other too rapidly, and at the, same time, they must be turned insuclra way that they will not damagethematerial being printed nor interfere with therecipnocationof the paint pot. The

machine must be capable of operating just as fast is-single head iprintingxmachines.

According to the "preferred embodiment of our invention, the arrangement is such that the printing block. will lift a slight distance oil the material being printed before it starts; .to rotate.

Thenv as the printing head continnes to move-upwardly, the head will; be

revolved; By thetim'e the head'has reachedits. uppermost position, it will have been .entirely reversed. The head will then be lowereda' slight distance where it will-remain stationary long enough for :the paint pot to pass thereunder, after which it will move down into printing engagement with the goods. If it is-necessary to reverse the block forrthe next printing; step,.this will he a-utomatica-l-l-y taken care of, and ifit is not necessaryv for the block to reverse; the block "will continue to rise'and lower-without reversinsr until itagain becomes necessary for it to reverse.

From the foregoing, it-

whereby a reversible head is provided; that in order to save time in. printing, the reversing movement occurs on the upward movement -of the head, that this reversing movement does not begin until the printing block has beenlirfted vertically sufliciently to clear the goods being printed; thatthe reversing movementis selectively controllable and that the sequence of reversing is'such-that several impressions are made with one. block of the head to .a single impression made by the other block, and that notwithstanding the fact that the head is reversible, it is firmly locked against rotation except when reversing is to take. place. The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanywillfbe seen that our invention includes an arrangement a machine having a series of reversible print- Fig. tie a detail section on a larger scale in the plane of line IVIV of Fig.

Fig. .5 is top plan view of. a portion of one ofthe printing blocks and the reversing mechanism tl1E8IE01,.lZl1Q casing for the reversin-g mechanism being shown section.

.l iglfi isia detail perspective view of the to le link torminga of the control- IJli) mechanism. Y

Fig; 7' is. a detail showi n the block; reversing. cont-r0]. cam and the operating: means associated therewith.

Fig. 8 is :a-planviewof a shaft and-pinion functioning in the reversing of the-printing.

and headl n Fig. 9-is a side elevation showing a detached portion of the said rotating I111$Cl1tnism apart from the control therefor.

Fig. QPJis-a perspective view of a ratchet through which a partial rotation of the head is effected. 3 I

'Fi 10 i a detached detail view showing the rack and "pinion mechanism through which rotation of the head is completed.

11- is :ahorizontalsection in the plane of. line -XI XI of Fig. 10. v

Fig 12 is a front elevation of the rack shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 13. is a'- perspective View showing :a detail ofa latch member for. limiting endwise movement of the rack shown in l1ead. and-1o'; thecoupling. between the shaft Fig. 14- isa perspective view of a reciprocable post having acam surface thereon for retracting the latch shown in Fig. 13.

i Fig. 15 is a detail view at the eccentric operating" mechanism by means of which the rack shown in Figeltl brought into and.

control mechanism illustrated in l .i 1 .5.-

Fins. 17, 18. and 19 are detalnews showing the control connectio throne} which the reversing ca-nr shown in. set into operation.

F 1g, l8 isa modlficationshowing a reverse.

f; is

view on'a larger scale opposite sides of the machine frame.

ment with a similar cam 17.

arrangement for the part shown in Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a modified form of control camfor'nse with the control link arrangementof Fig. 18-

Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the electromagnetically operated rack and segment gear which appears in plan in Fig. 17

Figs. 20 and 25 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating difl'erent steps in the sequence of operation of the reversible print ing head.

In the drawings, 5 designates the supporting frame of a standard printing inachine, 6 are the platens which are fixed in'the frame of the machine, 7 are the pads 'ontop of the platens and the continuous web of material being printed is designated 8. 'Arranged over each platen is a printinghead.

In Fig. 1, we have shown a standard printing head 10 of the type now-commonly 6111- ployed. Reversible printing heads are also shown, these being designated 11. All of the printing heads may be reversible, as shown in Fig. 2, or standard and reversible heads may be used together as indicated in Fig. 1.

The standard printing head 10 has a cross frame thereon comprised of I-beams 10 and these I-beams serve to support the removable printing block 10". printing heads has Lbeains 11 similar to those provided in the standard printing head and on the top of the I-beams 11 is secured a printing block 12 and on the bottom of the I-beams is a second printing block 12".

The reversible printing heads ll'are rotatably supported in bearings 13 at the top of vertically reciprocable posts 1 1 and 15 1at Tie posts 14: and 15 are the same as those now provided for the usual single block printing heads as shown in Fig. 1. At the lower end of the post 14 is'a roller 14 for engagement with a cam 16 and on the lower end of the post 15 is asimiliar roller 15 for engage- The camslb and 17 are secured to the opposite ends of a transverse shaft-18 supported in the frame of the machine. The shaft 18 is driven through a worm 19 from a longitudinally extending shaft 20. In actual practice, all of the shafts 18 are rotated in synchronism, and all of the cams 16 and 17 for the respective printing heads are correspondingly positioned.

The cams 16 and 17 are shaped to imparta vertically reciprocable movement to the printing heads upon rotation of the cams to effect a raising and lowering movement of the printing heads. This is true whether the printing heads are of the reversible type or are of the type 10 shown in Fig. 1, and so much of the mechanism as had been herein described is now commonly employed inmachines of this character. Attached to each of the posts 15 is a counterweight21. as best shown in Fig. 1. The purpose of the cams present invention.

Each of the reversible 16 and 17 is to raise the printing heads while they are free to drop by gravityinto printingengagement with the web of material supported on the platens below the printing heads.

In order to hold any printing head against downward movement after it has been elevated, a latch23 is provided'for each head, this latch being adapted to cooperate with a 1115124 on the post 15., A similar latch is, as a matter of practice, also provided on the other side of the machine on post 14, but forming no part of'the presentinvention, is not shown. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1

in conn ction with the singleprinting head and is also employed for the otherlprinting heads, although for the purpose of better showing the other featuresof the machine, a

this part of the mechanism is not illustrated in connection with the reversible printing heads.

In Fig; 1 the latch 23 is shown out of latch- T ing position. The operation of this latch mechanism is clearly'described in our Patent No; 1,268.900 and constitutes no part of the Supported above the frame of the machine and reciprocable longitudinally thereof, are, a a plurality ofpaintpots 25. Each of these pots has a roller '26 adapted to spread paint over the surfaceof the printing blocks when the pots arereciprocatedjin the usual wav under the printing blocks when the latter are raised and are in paint receiving po'sition. The pots 25 are all connected tooperate in synchronismin accordance with the present practicein machines of this type.-

According to our invention, each of the cams 16 and 17 has a low point 17*, a high point17", a short drop 17, a dwell 17 and adrop from the point of dwell to the low point 17*. The cams allrevolve in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, that is, in a counter-clockwise direction as in this view.

The shape of the cam is such that the print- 1 ing block will be lifted rapidly upon rotation from the low point 17 on the cam, to

the point 17 where the printing head will be in its highest position. By reason of the slight drop at 17, the printing head will lower slightly, and will then remain stationary while the dwell portion 17 of the cam is engag ng the rollers on the respective posts 14 and 15. During this period of dwell,

the paint pots will pass under the printing heads, and when the drop 17 is engaged, the printing heads are permitted to fall into printing position' The shape of the cam employed for the present apparatus is not materially different from that employed at present, in that it provides for lifting the printing heads above the paint receiving position and then dropping them a short tanceto the proper heightto receive paint.

The, shape, furthermore, is such thatthe head rises with accelerating speed to a certain point. after whichitbegins to decelerate.

In orderto reverse the printing block so that either of the printing surfaces 12 or 12" may be selectively moved into printing position, means is provided for effecting such rotation when desired. A; trunnion 27 at oneend'of each ofthe printingheads 11' is extended through the bearing 13 at one side of themacliine and terminates in a tongue 28 that cooperates with asocket 29 in the end of a-rotatable shaft 30 having a pinion 31 there-on. The shaft 301's 'rotatably' support'edin a frame'32 which is secured to the reciprocable'post so as to move up and downfwith the post. This frame 32 is contained within a stationarycasing or, housing 33 "at the side of the-machine. The shaft is rotated in the manner hereinafter more fnll vdescribed. In order to hold the printing head against rotation except when ro tation. thereof is desired, a lockingdisc 34 issecured to the trunnion 27, and'a pairv of locking-levers 35 are provided in-th'e frame 32 for cooperation therewith. The locking; levers 35 are mounted on the-ends ofishafts 36Which extend transversely of the frame Each of the levers 35 has a lug 35 thereon'adapted to project into notches 34 in the periphery of the disc 34., The notches 34 are spaced 180 from each other, and they are preferably of inwardly decreasing width.

The lugs 35* arewedge shaped. As wear develops between the notches andthelugs,

the tapered shapeof the lugs will cooperate with the sides of the notches whereby loosenessbetweenthe locking parts will be prevented. The locking levers 35 arenormallv maintained in such position that the lugs 35 thereof are projected into the notches 34 ltwill be seen; however. that if the levers 35 are spread apart. the lugs 35 will be diseng. I d from the respective notches and thereby permit the head to rotate. Such movement of the loclringz'levers is effected by means (if-short levers 37 dependingv from the oppo ends-of the shafts 36. Each of these levers 37 is provided with a cam or proiecting 1" 37. Thelocation and arrangement of levers 37 is best shown in Figs. 4 and 7 end thereof arranged to bear against one of the levers 37. as clearly shown in Fig. 7 in such w-ayth at it tends to urge the shaft 36 to r tate in a direction to hold the locking lever inlocking position. r

A second spring 39 is L rovided on the frame 32 which tends to urge the other looking lever into locking position. It will be seen that if the levers 37ers moved in toward each other against the pressure of the ings-38 and 39the shafts 36 will rotate in a direction-to spread the levers35 apart and release them from looking position. Such movement of the levers is automatically efrrspring 38 carried on the frame 32 has one fected in the operation'of. our'maehine asiwill' he hereinafter described; I

Pivotally 1 supported on a bracket 33 in the housing 33 is a link.40 having a cam surface or noiection 40 thereon. The lowermost and of this link40 carries a pin 41 on which is aroller 42. The roller 42 projects through a cam slot 43 in a. segment-shaped cani'platc 44 pivot-ally supported on :1- Supporting pin or stud 45 in the stationary hous- 53. The cam plate 44 has a series o'f'steps fichet teeth 46 on its wider edge and a sol of reversely arranged ratchet teeth 46* on itsnarrower edge. The slot 43 is not concentric with the stud 45, but is of irregular shape, having in ally five positions for the roller thesefbeing designated 43*, 43", 43, 4.3land 43 Positions 43", 43 and 43 are further from the center than 43 and 43 In 7 the roller 42 is shown in the second station 43" of the cam slot 43. r Pivotally supported in the housing 33 oplar b0 the link 40 and having a lug 47 there'- corresponding to the lug 40 of the link 40. The lower end of the link 47 is pivotally connected at 48 with a toggle link 49whichcon nects to theupper end of'a lever 50 pivotally supported in'the-frame 33 on the :pin 51. The lowe ".nost end of the lever 50 is pivotally connected at 52 with alink 53 whose other end pivotally connects at 54 with one end-of cam guide 55 pivotally supported between its ends on the'stationary pin 56 in the frame Connected to the lever 50 between its point of support 51 and its lower end 52, is a main cross link 57 whose other end pivotally connests with the pin 41 on the link 40. The link 57 isshownin detail in Fig. 6 and,.as there shown, is provided with an upwardly projecting lug 58between its ends.

Looking at Figs. 4 and 7 particularly. it willbe remembered that the frame 32 reciproeates with the post 15 while the housing withthe parts supported therein remains stationary. Itwi-ll be seen that when the parts are in the position shown the frame 32 can move up and down, and the locking levers will remain in looking position. Should the lovers 40 and 47 be swung in toward each other. it will be-seen that the respective lugs 40 and 47 thereon will project into the path of travel of the lugs37 on the lever-s 37 when the levers are carried upwardly relatively to he links 40 and 47 by theaupward movement site the link 40 is a link 47 generally simi-' travel from the high point at li to the low swung inwardly toward the lever lOr It is by this mechanism that the head is released to rotate when the same is necessary. g

It has been hereinbefore suggested that the head will not rotate upon each reciprocation thereof, but that it will be rotated only at predetermined times. 7 effecting'rotation of the head, will now be described. If the head would start to rotate just as soon as the printing head starts to lift, the head could'be rotated through a simple rack and pinion mechanism. It will be obvious, however, that should the head start to rotate when it is in its lowermost position and is pressing against the goods being printed, then one edge of theprinting block would dig into the material and the other edge of the block would swing into contact with the paint carriage. It accordingly becomes necessary to lift the head a slight distance before rotative movement is imparted thereto. It also is obvious that, on account ofv the enormous weight of the head, it can not be rotated too rapidly, and ittherefore becomes desirable to rotate the head at first gradually and then at an accelerated speed, and then at a decelerated speed so as to reduce the force of the head at the completion of its turning movement. Furthermore, the; distance through which the head is rotated must not be more than 180, as it must'be assured that the printing block will always be in a proper position to print afterit has been turned. It accordingly is not desirable to use a slmple rack and pinion mechanlsm for effecting the I rotation of the head,'but a rack and pinion is resorted to in efi'ecting the final movement of the head, while a ratchet is used for rotating the head in the first instance; It is necessary,;furthermore, that theratchet and the rack and pinion mechanisms, beso arranged that therack and pinionwill' start to .func-' tion just as the ratchet mechanism has reached the limit of its movement, and it is necessary that these two mechanisms be cos related with a control, so that thehead will only be rotated at predetermined times and not with every-reciprocation of the'head.

ECairried on the outer end of the shaft'30, is a ratchet wheel 60 whose construction is best shown in Fig. 9 This ratchet wheel has but two ratchet teeth or surfaces, designated 60 these teeth being spaced 180 apart. Loosely carried on'the end of the shaft 30 is alever 61 havinga roller 62on it's'j outer end. Carried on the lever 61, intermediate I its ends, is aislidable pawl 63 havinga tooth f 63 thereon for cooperationwith a tooth 60 The mechanism for Thercam roller62'at the end of the lever 61 is located adjacent the gate ormovable cam 55. This is best'sho'wn in Figs. 4:, 5, and 7.

When thecam55'is inv the position shown in 3 F 1g. 7, the frame 32 can raise and lower, and

the gate 55 will offer no obstruction tothe cam roller-62.. The cam roller 62 may thus move up and down. vertically with theprint- .ing movement of the head, and the lever 61v will 'notbe operated. When however, the lever 57 is operated through the cam 44, to swing the links and 47 in towardseach gate is simultaneously rocked through the link connection 53 to the dotted line p0si-- tion shown in Fig. 7. When the gate .55

moves over to this position, it extends across the path of normal vertical movement ofth'e roller 62, andforms acontin'uation of a fixed other and release the latching levers 35, the

cam surface 65 in the housing33. The cam 65'has a horizontally extending surface 65 and a vertlcal surface 65 The cam member 65 is spaced away from a second cam memspaced below the horizontally extending sur- "face'65 of the cam 65. 1

ber 66 having a vertical surface .66 and a" horizontally extending surface 66 'that is dotted line" position shown in Fig. 'Z'Z and the movable frame 32 starts to rise, the roller will be obstructedbythe-gate 55. lVhenthis occurs the printing head will be far enough printing headl Bythe time the printing head has been rotated a predetermined distance, the roller 62 willbe between the two'vertical will first start'to lift vertically, but when .1t has moved; vertically 'a slight, distance, it

guiding surfaces 65 and-66 and further ro- Y tation of the lever .61 will lee-prevented. It

isiat thispoint th at'the-raclrand pinion mechanism-for completing the rotative movement of the head is brought into oper'ationL The rack and pinionmechanis n will nowbe described. J r

Carried in'the vertically, reciprocable frame 32 is-a channel shape guide 6'? supported in the frame 32 on a pairof eccentrics 68 which are horizontally pivotedin the frame :32. This construction is best shown in'Figs. 10-and 1-1. Slidable/in the guide 67 I is a rack 69 whose.lowere11 d projects below the bottomof thevsup'porting guide 67', and which has lugs 69 and '69 at its lowermost endg Secured to the pins 68 which support :the two eccentrics 68 are cranks'ZO'. These cranks are connected-by aivertical-li-nk. 7:1 Ehaving a wedge shaped. terminaLportionxT 2 below the lowermost'eccentric. "The. link-'71 .isrurged downwardly bymcansof a tension spring 7 3 securedito the link .71 and-to a .bra-cket'l't on the frame 31. This arrange- :ment is best. shown in Fig. 9. ItiVVl lL be, seen .thatby reciprocating the link'Zl vertically, the eccentrics 68 are simultaneously rotated. .Suchrotation of the eccentrics 68 moves'the Lguide member G'ZtQWardanEda'Wa-y from; the shaft 30 with its pinion 3. 1. Inasmuch as the 'rack69 is carriedin thism'ovable guide. 67, such movement of-the guide serves to bring the teeth of therack into or out OJfaIIIQSh with the-pinion 31. i

The function of thesp-ring- 'Z'Bisto urge the link 71 downwardly to movethe rack; into engagement withzthe pinion. l'nasmuchas 1 reversal of the head, does not occur with each vertical movement of the head and of the :frame 32, ineans must be provided rfor' nor mally holding the rack out of engagement I with the pinion and for preventing the ,springj73fromfuctioningr For this purpose,there i-s-iprovided acdog or one-toothed ratchet arm 77 on the pin extension 68 of thelower eccentric -68. This dog or onetoothedratchet Z7 is-i-shown in detail in Fig. 16. In Fig. ;9 it is shown in its r eleased;p osition while in Fig. 1 itis shown init-s set position. Pi votally mounted on theoutside of the frame 32 zit Z8 isabellcrank shaped holding member or pawl 1Z9=for cooperation with theholding; dog 7 7. The lowermost corner 79 ,of the pawl79is adapted to engage 7 it will be seen by an inspection of Fig; .1,

the tooth??? of the dogj77, asmost clearly holding dog 7.7 in a clock-wise. directiomand how theelement '79, cooperating withithe teethi'? normally prevents such'rotationof the eccentrics. I v

- Projectinglaterallvfrom theiface of'the member 79 is a pin f Whenthebar57that operates the .two latch controllingdinks .410

and 4;? moves to theright, as viewed from Fig i, the projection or lug 58 thereofis moved intolinewith the pin; 80, whichmoves upand-down with the'frame 32..- The operation of the bar 57 is such that it will move .to the right when the frame 32, with its printing head, is in an elevated position. This operation will be hereinafter more fully described, When-the frame 32 lowers, the

V the pin 80 will Contact with the lug 58' on the bar- 57; and asthe frame 32co-ntinues to move down thecorner' 79 of the element 79 will be lifted out of'co'ntact withithe tooth T'Z of the dogf'l'ywhereupon the spring 73 can function. to rotate the eccentric'system its to bringgthe racknintoengagement with th :pinion. n

"manner For withdrawing the rackfrom engagement withthe p nion and resettingthe eccentric system'againstthe action of the spring .73, there isprovided'inthe fixed frame 33 a pivoted arm 81. whose-pivotal support is at 82. 'Ihisxarmhas a vertical lug 83 thereon atoneend thereof and has a downwardly projecting lug 84 on the opposite end thereof. The function of the lug 8a is to contact with a stationary, part ofthe frame to'pre- When the extension 72 on the link 71 :rides up, with the frame32, it will lift the lever'Sl and rid-epast thelug 83thereof. {Ehe lever 8lg=will then fall back to the position shown-in Fig.- 9 and when the frame. 32 ,be- 'gigns'to lower, the squarezendof the extension Z2-=will hit the top of the lug 83, thereby forcingzthe link "61 upwardly, rotating the qeccentri-cs68 in a direction to withdrawthe rackfrom engagement with the pinion. :Bfy reason 'ofthe fact that the link 71 iscarri'edyat the-router ends of the levers 70, the member 72 will eventually move into-a position ,where 'it can ride past the lug 83 with the continued downward movement of the frame 32. 7 -manner indicated, the eccentrics are rotated When theflinlr 71 is lifted inthe in a. counter-clockwise directiom-and the dog Y'Z7i-s correspondingly;moved. The tooth 7f? thereon rides uncler'the corner of the-incin- .berfi79 andxthe eccentric system is held against rotation until, the member 79 is -released, as hereinbefore explained.

' ftris; cfcourse, obvious that-1n order for This is true because therack is forced into the rack 69 to be effective in rotating the f pinion 31,.therack 69' shall be stationary duringja. portion ofthe upward trav-elof the pinion with the head 32. At the same time, if-thezfirst part of the 'rotative movement of "the-shaft30=istobe effected by the lever 61, andnotby the rack and pinionmerhanism, itwill, also be-seen that during a portion of the ireciprocating movement of the head. 32,

ytheracktigmustbe freeto-risewith the head.

In/order to provide for the upward movement-)tof'the rack 69-witli' the frame 325the eccentricoperatedcarrier 67 is provided, and to provide :forlthenecessary relative more" mentbetween the pinion and the rack, the rack 69 is slidably moiintcd'in the carrier.

67. 'If'thehead 32 starts to move upwardly =wi1ththe rack incngagement withthe'pinion,

and the lever 1611 functions to rotate the 62'withithe cam elements 55-and 65 as here- :pinion, through the cooperation ofthe roller to roll on the rack 69, but there-ck 69, being;

against the compression of thespi ,7

when the bar92 is forced downwardly. It

carried in the member 67 mounted in the frame 32 will also rise, but there will be a diflferent-ial movement, the rack 89 moving up with less speed than the frame 32. When the rack has been carried up a predetermined distance in'this way. the lug 69 at the bottom I.

of the rack will come into contact with stationarylugs 86 inthe stationary frame 93,

carried inside the housing 33. At this time, the roller 62 on the end of the lever 61 will be in line with the vertical cam or guiding surfaces 65 and 66", so that the cam 65 will have no further tendency to rotate the lever 61. At this point, the continued upward movement of the frame 32 will tend to roll the pinion 31 on the now stationery rack 69 to complete the rotative movement of the head through its arc of 180. hen the rack 69 has been carried'to itsjhighest position, and further upward movement has been limited by contact with, lugs 86, the horizontally movable latchbar 87 shown in Fig. l

will be projected, by reason of the compression spring, 88. beneath the lung 69 on the end of the rack, and thereby hold it in this elevated position. The latch 8'? is slidably guided in astationary part 93 of the fixed frame 33. The latch bar, which is shown in detailin Fig. '13, has a vertically disposed slot'or groove 90 therein,-"and one edge of this groove, 9.1,is inclined to provide a cam engaging" surface. Mountedin a stationary part of the frame 33 on the support 93, is a vertically reciprocable post 92, the supper 93 for this post having; keepers 9% thereon in whichv the post 92 is frictionally held'against a free-sliding movement. ine

post 92 has a projecting lug on one rare thereof, and this lug; has'an inclined, face 92 for co-engagement with the incllned surface 91 in the slot 90 of the latch bar 87. The

arrangement is such that the'lug. 92? pro vides a cam for retracting" the latchber 87 n 88 will be noted that the end of the latch is clined' so that the lug69? on the rack will cam the latch beckon" theupward movement of therack. When it projectsuuder lug 69,

such operation of the rack is desired. When the head is rotatingit acquiresconsiderable momentum, and the tendency of the head would be to rotate past the hundred and eighty degreelimit through which it should rotate. By projecting-the latchbar 87 under the rack, the headcan not rotate after the ira me'32 has reached its uppermost position.

This ,is due to the fact thatthe rack 69, in

mesh with the pinion, willnotbe free to bar 92'.

move downwardly. It can thus be assured that the locking lugs 35 '0n the locking levers 35 will enter'the recess 34 in the disc 34 at the end of the 180? rotation of said disc. The latch has another important function. "Ithas just been pointed outthatthe rotating head acquires'considerable momentum, and that,

'up to a. certain point it is lifting androtating' lwithaccelerating speed. Now, in the upper part oi 'the movement, when it is desired to to carry it around faster than desired. Since. however, downward movement of rack 691s limited by the latch, the rack pro vides a positive check. assuring deceleration of the rising head. which can rotate no faster than the driving punch 31 rolls on the rack.

' Supported on'the top of the frame mem-' shaft bearing 32. (Fig. 5). As the frame 32 reaches its highest limit of movement,'it will rock =lever 95 upwardly,depressing the When the part 32'has reached its uppermost position, the bar 92 will have been forced down to the lower limit of its move-' ment, and in moving down, the cam 92 will cooperate withythe inclined surface 91 to retract the latch; The cam.will continue to hold the latch retracted (by reason of the anal engagement ofthe keepers 94 with vhich time the movable frame 32 willrock a lever 97. similar to the lever 95, downwardly.

One end of the lever 97- bears against the lower end of the bar 92. as shown in Fig; 1 so that the downward movement of the frame 32 will force the bar 92upwardly, removing; the cam lug 92 fromitsengaegement with the slot- 90 of the latch bar 87 The latchbar at this time will be yieldably proand will be forced back-when the. lug69 rules upwardly against it, heretofore bar 92) until the movable frame 32 has v decelerate the head, itsmomentum Wlll tend v J10 .jected into the path of travel of the lug 69 pointed out. Positive restoration of the rack V to normal position on the. downward movement of the head s assured by reason of the fact that the end of the rack will come against a fixed bracket 69 when the head is,

in its lowermost position. Lug 74: engaging lug; GQ ZHSUIGS'Of therack 69 coming down when the carrier32 comesdown.

. The mechanism through which the re'vers ing movement of the head is controlled, may

now be described.v It has been previously pointed out that the release of thelocking levers 35, the swinging of the control cam-or gate .55; and the release of the one-toothed ratchet"?7 in theeccentric system is all ef} .fected by the novement of the bar 57 to the right as viewed in Fig. 7." Any'-' suitable meanscould be. employed for shifting the bar 57 backand forth at the proper: time and in the proper sequence. l Ve have shown the segment shaped camplate 44 with its staggered slot 43 as one method of obtaining proper movement of the bar 57 It has been hereinbefore mentioned that one of the printing-blocks on the reversible head'will carry a body pattern and one of the blocks will carry a transverse border pattern- There will be several successive impressions made by the body block, then a single impression by the border block, and then succeeding impressions by the body block. This is the sequence ordinarily employed although it will be obvious thatthe invention is not necessarily limited to such particular sequence of operation.

'The cam slot 43 in the cam plate 44*l1as five different positions, as heretofore pointed out, these being an upper position at 43 and .a'lower position at 43 and intermediate positions 43-2432 and 43. The ratchet'teeth 46 on the wider end of the plate 44 are turned downwardly and the number of teeth correspondsto the number of positions in the cam slot 43. The teeth 46 on the other end of. the plate 44 are reversely arranged and there are but four of these teeth.

.gagement'with the ratchet teeth 46.

lvurged upward by a compression spring 105:that serves to hold the pawl 100"in en- The rod 104 maybe pulled down to disengage the pawl from engagement with the teeth. Any

preferred means for effecting such 'movement may be'einployed, but we prefer to use the motion ofthe latch 23 of-the printing headadjacent-to the head under consideration-and toward the end of-the machine at which the printingstart s. Thef opening'or closing of this latch'occurs at the moment when the printing heads are in their uppermost position. Either the opening or closmovement ofthe'latch maybe utilized.

The arrangement shown in Figures 17, 18,

and 19 and 19 is employed where the opening movement of thelatch is utilized. In order to secure proper operationpth'e first head at the starting end or the machine is preferably single; and non-reversible, as

shown in Fig. 1. Referring to Fig.1 in connection with Figs. 1'5, 18., 19 and 19, the

shaft carrying the headlatch 23'hasa crank lldconnected theretoyand connected to the free end ofthiscrank at 114 is link 113. The oppositeend ofthe' link 113 isin the form of a-stepped loop-113 and engages a Wristpin 112 on the crank 112. The crank "1-12 is: securedto one end. ofthe sleeveonquill shaft 111, andthis shaft has a crank 106 secured theretoeat its outer end. The outer endiof thercrank i106 ispivo-talliy connected to the vertically movable rod 104.

.When thelateh 23 opens-,theleverlll rocks the quill shaft 111, pulling down on" the rod 104 to: thereby disengage pawl 100 from the teeth of the segmentalcamplfite44. The; cam

,plateis-then free to:dropybut gravity is: not a suflicient' to effect a downward movementiof the camplateshowna simple: arrangement employing a solenoid 109 having 1ts armature directly connectedthroughlinks 108-and 108 with the segmentaleam plate 44. However, Fig. '1. does .not showitheparts in their bestpositiominasmuch as itisdesirableto have the solenoid located the frame of the machine and not .at the side ofthe maehinewvhere it would be i nthe-waynfstheoperator. ,T he correct re; lation of the parts isishownimFi-g s. 17,318, 19* and 199.. The solenoid has Fits-armature 1-09 provided with-a-ra-ck 108 This rack Positive operating means. therefore 1S provided. In Fig. 1 We have engages "teeth on ya segment 118 secured-to the shaft .107. The shaft 107 :is-suppo-rted in theframe oi the machineina bearing at 107 and has a reduced extension passing through the quill' sha'ft 111. The outer end of this extension is provided with acrank 119. The-end ofthe crank 119 is connected thronghlink 108 with the cam plate 44.

' -Obviously,the solenoid 109 isenergized only at predetermined'times, and its operation is intermittent. The solenoid is controlledthroug'ha switch 110 of any suitable standard type,.- diagrammatically illustrated in Fig; 1. The-parts are-so set that the closing oftheswitchoccurs a moment afterthe rod 104 has pulled the pawl 100 out of engagement, Withthe teeth. on the campl-ate 44, there beingsutlicientextra travel allowed for this purpose; The solenoid, upon being. Vene'rgized, willgreciprocate the rack 108 torotate the shaft 107 through the gear segment 118. "As the shaft-107 rotates the rod .108 will be pulled down, pulling the cam: plate to its lowest-position; Asthe end of the actionof the: solenoid is: reached, a1 lever 121.ad-

iustablysecuredto. the shaft 107, and having an adjustable strikinggpo-int 122, will-engage the loop 113 on the end of .the lever 113,

which willikick the stepped loop outvofengagement Withthe-wrist pin 112 on the crank 11-2. VZhengthe armature ofthe sole- .noid is fully home and the: cam plate 44 initslowermostposition; the kick out of the stepped loop 113 is complete.

105 is compressed, henthe steppedloop 1-13 releases crank 1112, :this spring reacts on thedown -war d .moyement ofgthe rod 104. the spring to force therod .104 upward, allowing pawl 100 ,to drop 'intoengageinent with-the teeth .of .the segmental-cam plate .44 and .at- .the 

